Senate Approves Obama Surgeon General Who Called Guns a 'Health Care Issue

The Senate on Monday approved a nominee to be the next U.S. Surgeon General who once said gun violence is a public health issue, which led Republicans and even some Democrats to oppose him for months.

Dr. Vivek Murthy was nominated by President Barack Obama more than a year ago, but opposition from several Democrats meant a Senate vote has been delayed all year.

President Barack Obama made a controversial pick to be the next Surgeon General, and the Senate approved that pick Monday night.
Image: AP Photo/Mel Evans

When the Ebola crisis peaked earlier this year, many Democrats blamed Republicans for holding up Murthy's nomination and leaving the United States without a Surgeon General. But Republicans argued that the lack of support among Democrats was all that blocking him, since Democrats changed the rules to let nominations move by a simple majority.

With the election over, enough Democrats who opposed his nomination were able to vote for him, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) set up a vote on Murthy over the weekend.

Murthy survived two votes: the first was to end debate on Murthy's nomination, and he passed that hurdle 51-43. In past years, he would have needed 60 votes to clear this first vote, but Reid changed the rules a year ago, claiming that Republicans were blocking all of Obama's nominations.

Murthy was confirmed in another 51-43 vote. A simple majority vote was all that was needed here, and Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) was the only Republican to support Murthy, and three Democrats voted against him: Sens. Joe Donnelly (Ind.), Heidi Heitkamp (N.D.), and Joe Manchin (W.Va.).

Murthy famously tweeted in 2012 that "guns are a health care issue," which immediately led to opposition from the National Rifle Association when he was nominated.

Tired of politicians playing politics w/ guns, putting lives at risk b/c they're scared of NRA. Guns are a health care issue. #debatehealth

— Vivek Murthy (@vivek_murthy) October 17, 2012

Murthy also criticized the NRA directly in a tweet soon after the 2012 shooting in Newtown, Connecticut:

NRA press conference disappointing but predictable - blame everything in the world except guns for the Newtown tragedy. #wakeup

— Vivek Murthy (@vivek_murthy) December 21, 2012

But it wasn't just his comments on guns that drew GOP opposition. During floor debate Monday, Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) noted that Murthy has never practiced medicine, and instead co-founded a group called Doctors for Obama. Barrasso said Murthy's political work is the only reason he was nominated by Obama.

"Is Dr. Murthy a renown expert at treating patients or researching diseases? No, not at all," Barrasso said. "Has be actually built a career teaching medicine, or leading public health organizations? No, not yet."

"In fact, Dr. Murthy only completed his medical training, his residency, in 2006, just eight years ago," he said. "The majority of his career has been spent not as a doctor treating patients, but as an activist. An activist focused on gun control and political campaigns."

But Democrats defended the nomination by saying Murthy was qualified. Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), who represents Murthy's home state, said the nominee is as qualified "as anyone has ever been."

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), who supports tougher gun control laws as one of the two senators representing Newtown, Connecticut, said Murthy has been unfairly hurt politically just for admitting that gun violence is a problem in America.

"If a nominee for federal office is unqualified simply because they have pointed out that gun violence is an issue that we should work on, then this debate is so far removed from what is happening on the ground floor of this country," Murphy said.

Obama said after the vote that Vivek would "hit the ground running to make sure every American has the information they need to keep themselves and their families safe."

"He'll bring his lifetime of experience promoting public health to bear on priorities ranging from stopping new diseases to helping our kids grow up healthy and strong," Obama said.